Engine oil pan and cleaning attachment



A. L. KELLEY March 14, 1967 ENGINE OIL PAN AND CLEANING ATTACHMENT Filed July 28, 1964 AL I X28 we INVENTOR ARCHIE L. KELLEY BY moaw United States Patent 3,308,840 ENGINE OIL PAN AND CLEANING ATTACHMENT Archie L. Kelley, RD. 1, Clarendon, Pa. 16313 Filed July 28, 1964, Ser. No. 385,585 3 Claims. (Cl. 134-167) This invention relates to oil pans for the crankcases of motor vehicles and more particularly to an improved oil pan which may be readily cleaned. It has been found that by attaching an additional opening in an oil pan placed at a higher level than the drain plug that sludge can be washed out more easily with a pressurized washing nozzle. By using this type of oil pan and system a clean oil pan can be assured each time the oil is changed. In some cases oil pans which are now in use can be adapted with the additional orifices or openings.

An object of the invention is to provide an oil pan which may be thoroughly cleaned by the addition and use of two extra orifices.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for access for the removal of sludge from remote surfaces and otherwise inaccessible crevices of the oil pan of an engine without removal therefrom the case.

With the above objects in view, the present inventionconsists of the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings 0nd more particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the form, size, proportions, and minor details of construction without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a cross sectional view showing the oil pan in combination with a washing apparatus.

Referring to the drawing, there is shown the oil pan in which the rear portion has two steps descending from the attaching flange. On the riser of the bottom step 40 is located the upper orifices or opening 11 for the insertion of the flexible pressure nozzle 14. The nozzle may be adjusted in many directions as shown to encompass the hard to reach corners of the oil pan 10. The rear portion of the oil pan declines downward at about a 45 angle to the drain opening and plug 12 which may be located on the side or bottom as shown. From this plug the bottom inclines about to the front portion so that sludge and oil washed from the bottom will flow by gravity toward the drain opening in addition to being urged by liquid from the nozzle.

Another orifice or opening 13 is located near the upward front of the pan. The nozzle 14 may be inserted in orifice 12 or 13 for further'cleaning or could be for the overflow of additional sludge 22. The sludge 22 is forced out drain plug 12 "by the washing solution 19 which is induced by nozzle 14. The drain funnel 23 catches the sludge 22 and transmits it into waste tank 24 where it encounters the filter 32 for removal of dirt particles. The waste tank top 25 may be lifted for removal of filter 32 and oil 33 from tank 24. The drain funnel 23 may be adjusted in height by sliding in collar 26 and tightening thumb screw 27. The suction hose 17 may be removed from tank 18 by loosening collar 30.

The washing solution 19 is contained in tank 18 and is ice placed therein through filter plug 34. It is then forced into hose 17 by air pressure 21 which is induced through air supply line 20 from an air compressor with a pressure control. A pressure gauge 31 is attached to the top of tank 18 to observe the pressure in the tank. The supply hose 16 is of the flexible type with a suitable aspirator or the like with a hand throttle 15 attached for the control of washing solution coming from nozzle 14. The washing solution supply tank 18 and sludge tank 24 may be supported on a suitable carrier or base 28 with casters 29 attached thereto.

The washing solution may also be pumped into the oil pan by a suitable pump with a pressure control and motor or by a suitable hand pump with adequate pressure.

The foregoing specification sets forth the invention in its preferred practical forms but it is understood that the structure shown is capable of modification within a range of equivalents without departing from the invention which is to be understood is broadly novel as is commensurate with the appended claims.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. In combination, an engine having a piston and an oil pan,

said oil pan being disposed below said piston,

said oil pan having a generally fiat bottom terminating in ends,

one said end extending upwardly and forwardly from said bottom and terminating in a second upwardly extending wall,

an opening in said second wall and an opening in said bottom,

means for closing said openings,

said first mentioned opening being spaced from said second mentioned opening and being adapted to receive the nozzle of a source of fluid under pressure whereby foreign material may be washed through said second opening and from said pan.

2. In combination, an automobile having an oil pan and a flushing arrangement,

said oil pan having a generally flat bottom with spaced ends extending upwardly therefrom,

one part of said bottom being generally horizontal, but inclined slightly toward a horizontal portion in said bottom adjacent one said end,

said oil pan having a bottom with a generally horizontal portion and an inclined portion,

means connecting said inclined portion to said horizontal portion,

a generally vertically extending end attached to said horizontal portion at the end thereof remote from said inclined bottom portion,

two spaced drain openings in said horizontal bottom portion,

an upper orifice in said inclined portion of said bottom at the end thereof remote from said horizontal bottom,

said flushing means comprising a tank adapted to contain a liquid solvent,

nozzle means connected to said tank and extending into said upper opening and adapted to project liquid onto said inclined portion,

a funnel disposed under said drain openings in said oil pan,

said funnel communicating with the inside of said tank whereby liquid draining from said oil pan will be returned to said tank.

3. The combination recited in claim 2 wherein said oil pan has a stepped portion adjacent the upper end of said inclined portion having a relatively short horizontal portion and a relatively short vertical portion,

said upper opening being found in said short vertical portion of said stepped portion,

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Collier 184-1.5 Burtschinger 184-1.5 Wilson 184-1.5 Stevens 1841.5 X Hall 184106 Hufiman 1841.5

10 LAVERNE D. GEIGER, Primary Examiner.

H. S. BELL, Assistant Examiner. 

2. IN COMBINATION, AN AUTOMOBILE HAVING AN OIL PAN AND A FLUSHING ARRANGEMENT, SAID OIL PAN HAVING A GENERALLY FLAT BOTTOM WITH SPACED ENDS EXTENDING UPWARDLY THEREFROM, ONE PART OF SAID BOTTOM BEING GENERALLY HORIZONTAL, BUT INCLINED SLIGHTLY TOWARD A HORIZONTAL PORTION IN SAID BOTTOM ADJACENT ONE SAID END, SAID OIL PAN HAVING A BOTTOM WITH A GENERALLY HORIZONTAL PORTION AND AN INCLINED PORTION, MEANS CONNECTING SAID INCLINED PORTION TO SAID HORIZONTAL PORTION, A GENERALLY VERTICALLY EXTENDING END ATTACHED TO SAID HORIZONTAL PORTION AT THE END THEREOF REMOTE FROM SAID INCLINED BOTTOM PORTION, TWO SPACED DRAIN OPENINGS IN SAID HORIZONTAL BOTTOM PORTION, AN UPPER ORIFICE IN SAID INCLINED PORTION OF SAID BOTTOM AT THE END THEREOF REMOTE FROM SAID HORIZONTAL BOTTOM, SAID FLUSHING MEANS COMPRISING A TANK ADAPTED TO CONTAIN A LIQUID SOLVENT, NOZZLE MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID TANK AND EXTENDING INTO SAID UPPER OPENING AND ADAPTED TO PROJECT LIQUID ONTO SAID INCLINED PORTION, A FUNNEL DISPOSED UNDER SAID DRAIN OPENINGS IN SAID OIL PAN, SAID FUNNEL COMMUNICATING WITH THE INSIDE OF SAID TANK WHEREBY LIQUID DRAINING FROM SAID OIL PAN WILL BE ETURNED TO SAID TANK. 